Home's hinge-back tortoise

Stutz- joint turtle ( Kinixys homeana )

The neck joint turtle ( Kinixys homeana ) also joint Homes turtle is called. It belongs in the family of tortoises ( Testudinidae ) to the genus of the joint turtles ( Kinixys ).

Features

The neck joint turtle reaches a size of about 20 cm and is one of the smaller species of tortoises. Striking feature is a joint in the posterior third of the carapace. Your carapace is flatter than the related species such as Kinixys belliana or Kinixys erosa. The front tank area extends far forward so that the head is well protected. The fifth, central shield is bumpy. Behind him the carapace drops steeply down. The rear edge of the carapace bends slightly upwards and is heavily perforated. The carapace is brown yellow, the shields edged partly bright. The plastron is brown, the triangular head yellowish. There is a striking squamation the legs.

Dissemination

The tropical regions of West Africa are the natural range of the neck - joint turtle. She prefers to swim in thin places in the tropical rain forest, along rivers and in wet grasslands.

Food

Their diet consists of plant foods on the one hand, on the other hand from animal food such as insects, molluscs and other animals of the appropriate size. As juveniles they take mainly animal food.

Reproduction

Within the breeding season, it is observed that the head of the male is colored in a bright yellow. The female lays 3-7 eggs in a Erdmulde which is closed carefully after oviposition. The eggs have a size of about 4 cm. The incubation period is about 16 weeks. In contrast to adult animals, the armor of the pups to a serrated edge.

Endangering

In much of the natural distribution areas of the neck - joint turtle population serves as a food and is therefore subject to high hunting pressure. The destruction of natural habitats also contributes to the decline in populations. The neck joint turtle is performed in the CITES Convention, Annex II as an endangered species.